Weed Board:

Weed Control for Lincoln County

Weed Board News............

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The Houndstongue Root-Mining Weevil Mogulones cruciger  has been determined by the USDA to possesses great danger in eradicating an endangered species that is closely related to Houndstongue.  Therefore, any collection, transportation or release into or throughout the United States has been deemed a criminal violation of the Endangered Species Act, with penalties up to $50,000.               

Inquiries have been made about the collection and redistribution of the root-mining weevil Mogulones cruciger (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) for biocontrol of the exotic rangeland weed houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale L.) (Boraginaceae).  M. cruciger has NOT been approved for release as a biological control agent in the United States.  This is due to concerns about the potential for non-target effects by the weevil on native North American plant species in the family Boraginaceae, especially those of endangered status in the United States.  M. cruciger naturally spread into the United States from releases made in Canada in the late 1990s.   

Permission for field release of M. cruciger in the United States has NOT been granted by USDA APHIS.  No permits for environmental (field) release or for its interstate movement within the United States will be issued by USDA APHIS.  Additionally, USDA employees and federally-funded cooperators should not be involved with, and must discourage, intrastate redistribution or movement of the weevil because the impact of M. cruciger on native endangered Boraginaceae plants and on their critical habitats has not been thoroughly addressed.   

Although the insect appears to provide some level of control for houndstongue, this does not outweigh the potential negative environmental impacts on endangered plant species.  Unauthorized collection, transportation, and release of M. cruciger as a biological control agent against houndstongue in the United States is a criminal violation of the Endangered Species Act, with penalties for punishable offenses ranging from a maximum fine of up to $50,000 or imprisonment for one year, or both, and civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.  These actions are also a violation of the Plant Protection Act, with fines for noncompliance assessed up to $250,000 per count or no more than $1,000,000 per adjudication if the violation is willful. 
Research Paper on Mogulones cruciger.

 *Job opening: None at this time.
The Field Technician Job Description is available here. The Application for Employment is available here.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the weed board is to educate landowners to be responsible stewards of the land and resources, to make Lincoln County a better place to live by protecting and preserving all lands and natural resources of the County from the degrading impact of invasive noxious weeds; and to provide quality, timely, and responsive service to the residents of Lincoln County.

OFFICE HOURS:

SUMMER: (APRIL THRU SEPTEMBER) 

MONDAY THRU FRIDAY   8AM TO 4:30PM

 WINTER:  (OCTOBER THRU MARCH) 

MONDAY THRU THURSDAY  6:00 AM TO 4:30PM 

WEED BOARD STAFF:

Coordinator

Kevin Hupp

509-725-3646

Administrative Assistant

Kris Hubbard

509-725-3646

Field Technicians

Lee Anderson

509-725-3646

Gina Habbestad

509-725-3646

Comments: Please click here to go to our report form.  Give us the information we need to be the most effective Weed Department we can be.

Lincoln County Noxious Weed Control Board
PO Box 241
Davenport, WA 99122

Located at 405 Ross St.  in Davenport   Map

509-725-3646  Office
509-725-1332  Fax

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